Let me start with my latest run, i had to beat the final boss three times! It was nerve wracking, but also super amazing! What are your special moments?
Oh yeah, i saw Mike's responce on reddit yesterday, we have it mentioned in our newest article. But thanks for going back to this, love the dedication! ;-
I was actually excited about Battlegrounds, but having played it for a day I must agree with other players. Here is a quote I made in another thread in response to it:
So, having played early access battlegrounds, I wanted to share my thoughts. While overall a fun mode, there isn't enough dimensions to keep most players entrained past initial week in my opinion. Already in 1 day of playing I started seeing the same end-game patterns over and over. The main end-game strategies are very repetitive (I really hope the complexity of this mode increases to keep it enjoyable long-term):
1. Go all in on beasts: Get Mama Bear and beasts that spawn more beasts (i.e. Rat Pack) and a cleaver or 2 (Cave Hydra)
2: Go all in on mechs: Get Junkbot and mechs that spawn more mechs (magnetize them) and a cleaver or 2 (Foe Reaper 4000), sound familiar?
3: Go all in on demons: Get Wrathweaver and rotate a bunch of demons between rounds to buff him, eventually get Annihilan Battlemaster with ~200 health (optionally get Malganis temporarily so Wrathweaver stops hurting you)
4: Go all in on murlocs: Try to discover poison + divine shield from Gentle Megasaur for every minion on board, or give it manually to your murlocs through other battlecries.
Oh, and of course, regardless of which of the only 4 endgame strategies you pick, buff/max out your Nightmare Amalgam, giving it a ton of health, poison, divine shield, etc. and magnetizing anything you come in contact with.
In my opinion, the Co-Op mode (2 players fighting a rogue minion, similar to some Brawls - but more variety and ability to use the entire card sample space) would have been a more interesting addition. Don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoying the mode, but I doubt I still will a week from now.
I disagree slightly. Due to RNG in re-rolls, going all in on a specific tribe is risky. When it works (which it usually does for at least 1/8 players), it is hard to beat, which is why you usually see one of the strategies you mentioned in the finals of the round. But more often, you can't roll the pieces you need and then it fails hard. The best strategy for always having a decent (top-four) finish is to mix tribes and strategically use buffs and selling minions to create a solid board. That strategy is pretty fun, because its always a little different and requires many tough choices.
I have noticed one disturbing trend though---which is that my finishing position, no matter what strategy I use, is usually wholly dependent on how many Nightmare Amalgams I'm offered in the game. If I get offered 1 or none, I'm almost always finishing at the bottom. If I get offered 4-5, I almost always finish at the top. I've started tracking (will post results after 50 runs or so) but so far after tracking for 10 runs its worked out exactly as I thought: More amalgams always equals better finish.
If that ends up true, it reduces the mode to rolling for 1 card, which is pretty terrible design.
Yes, Amalgam is probably the overall single best minion, especially since its so low tier, you can start buffing it early and whats more, you can put Poisonous on it.
That being said, it is by no means "if i dont get amalgam, i cant win". Yes, it improves your chances, but it does not make or break the run in on itself.
Nether Portal is interesting. While it would be largely unplayable, it could allow for some strategy to rush one or two tiers on your tarvern while this would produce minions/gold for you. Tier 4 might be too late tho.
Some ppl might not like that they are "stealing" ideas from other CCGs, but i for one like to see them incorporate all the best ideas and make a great game. Woot woot!
I dont think it is, its just RNG. For example, when Dual Arena hit, i wanted to play Rogue, and i was offered Rogue only after 12th draft, and mind you that i didnt get it offered till then on 1st nor 2nd round of picks. But it was just "bad luck". Happens all the time.
I dont think it is, its just RNG. For example, when Dual Arena hit, i wanted to play Rogue, and i was offered Rogue only after 12th draft, and mind you that i didnt get it offered till then on 1st nor 2nd round of picks. But it was just "bad luck". Happens all the time.
Hm, interesting. I wonder how does it work when a player gets knocked out, do their minions free up for the ones still in the game? I think this would all be excellent questions to ask Blizzard, so we know how this works. Cause if it really works as you say, that would change how you approach the win condition quite a lot, if you knew you couldnt get a certain carry you're looking for
"Descent of Dragons Art" section in the Press Kit is what ur searching for. Im using the DW art right now. It looks sick! Might switch to the the Rafaam riding a dragon, also amazing.
Is that really how this works? I thought the pool was shared in a sense everyone pick from the selection of same minions not from whatever is left.
To be honest it doesnt even make sence it should work as you say, that would mean that whoever gets to higher tier tavern first gets first pickings and 8th player might have his options very limited. That wouldnt be a very fair or healthy model.
I havent get to play it myself yet but this is a first time i hear shared pool works like this.
Although to be fair, they didn't phrase the effect very well to imply this.
I mean i can see how it can look confusing, but when you look at the rest of the cards that give Mana Crystals, they are quite consistent about phrasing giving full or empty ones. I guess Zihi was first to read "set", but it is a precedent for Nozdormu and they do follow it again, so id say in the end, no confusion here :)
Nozdormu the Timeless - 5 - Stupid good card, especially since you drop this massive body THEN it resets your mana to play more around it. This will feel alot like an on curve flappy bird back in Un'Goro.
@Nozdormu - are you sure it refreshes your Mana Crystals? Cause based on the text on Mojomaster Zihi and Astral Communion for example, i dont think so. Still a good arena card, but i dont think it works like you suggest, that would be beyond busted.
@Candle Breath - just a nitpick, it draws 3, so with a dragon, it is better than Arcane Intellect :) Still probably an average rating anyway, since the requirement is draft dependant.
Mike Donais confirmed on reddit, that Galakrond and Invoke cards will not be in the Arena, not even the Discover pool. Sidequests will be. Thanks Boozor for asking important questions! :)
Let me start with my latest run, i had to beat the final boss three times! It was nerve wracking, but also super amazing! What are your special moments?
I didnt expect to like it, but i did!
Oh yeah, i saw Mike's responce on reddit yesterday, we have it mentioned in our newest article. But thanks for going back to this, love the dedication! ;-
Yes, Amalgam is probably the overall single best minion, especially since its so low tier, you can start buffing it early and whats more, you can put Poisonous on it.
That being said, it is by no means "if i dont get amalgam, i cant win". Yes, it improves your chances, but it does not make or break the run in on itself.
Slamma Jamma needs to be like Tier 7 :D
Nether Portal is interesting. While it would be largely unplayable, it could allow for some strategy to rush one or two tiers on your tarvern while this would produce minions/gold for you. Tier 4 might be too late tho.
Some ppl might not like that they are "stealing" ideas from other CCGs, but i for one like to see them incorporate all the best ideas and make a great game. Woot woot!
Testing.
Yup.
I dont think it is, its just RNG. For example, when Dual Arena hit, i wanted to play Rogue, and i was offered Rogue only after 12th draft, and mind you that i didnt get it offered till then on 1st nor 2nd round of picks. But it was just "bad luck". Happens all the time.
Hm, interesting. I wonder how does it work when a player gets knocked out, do their minions free up for the ones still in the game? I think this would all be excellent questions to ask Blizzard, so we know how this works. Cause if it really works as you say, that would change how you approach the win condition quite a lot, if you knew you couldnt get a certain carry you're looking for
"Descent of Dragons Art" section in the Press Kit is what ur searching for. Im using the DW art right now. It looks sick! Might switch to the the Rafaam riding a dragon, also amazing.
Is that really how this works? I thought the pool was shared in a sense everyone pick from the selection of same minions not from whatever is left.
To be honest it doesnt even make sence it should work as you say, that would mean that whoever gets to higher tier tavern first gets first pickings and 8th player might have his options very limited. That wouldnt be a very fair or healthy model.
I havent get to play it myself yet but this is a first time i hear shared pool works like this.
Cant wait to play it!
That is quite an important piece of information, thanks!
Read the deck "guide" :)
I mean i can see how it can look confusing, but when you look at the rest of the cards that give Mana Crystals, they are quite consistent about phrasing giving full or empty ones. I guess Zihi was first to read "set", but it is a precedent for Nozdormu and they do follow it again, so id say in the end, no confusion here :)
@Nozdormu - are you sure it refreshes your Mana Crystals? Cause based on the text on Mojomaster Zihi and Astral Communion for example, i dont think so. Still a good arena card, but i dont think it works like you suggest, that would be beyond busted.
@Candle Breath - just a nitpick, it draws 3, so with a dragon, it is better than Arcane Intellect :) Still probably an average rating anyway, since the requirement is draft dependant.
I wouldnt be surprised if one of the future expansions were build around Pandaria.
Year of the Dragon
Year of the Phoenix
Mike Donais confirmed on reddit, that Galakrond and Invoke cards will not be in the Arena, not even the Discover pool. Sidequests will be. Thanks Boozor for asking important questions! :)